It is a claim that you hear often in discussions of the role of research
and development in the economy: “Federal investments in R&D have
fueled half of the nation’s economic growth since World War II.” This
particular claim appeared in a recent Washington Post op-ed
co-authored by a member of the US Congress and the chief executive of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It would be
remarkable if true. Unfortunately, it is not.

To read the rest head over here, and please feel free to come back and tell me what you think.